Adam Dachis

Dear Lifehacker,
I'm very excited about the release of an upcoming film, but its release is the same weekend as my wedding. Naturally, I don't want to disappoint my bride-to-be, but I'd still like to see the movie. Is there somehow a legal way I can watch it before it's released?

Sincerely,
Eager for Early Admission

Dear EfEA,

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While there's never a guarantee that you'll be able to see a movie before it's released, there are several things you can do to try and make it happen. You'll have the best luck in bigger cities like Los Angeles and New York, but I've lived in Boston and smaller cities and have been able to find advanced screenings from time to time. If an active film community exists in the area you should be in good shape. With that criterion met, here's where to look and what to do to try and earn yourself some pre-screening tickets.

Get on a Pre-Screening Program

Pre-screening programs get you free, advanced tickets to a lot of movies. Most frequently they're genre films and comedies, so if you're looking to see a drama prior to its release you probably won't have much luck. You also don't get to pick and choose which movies you see. You'll simply be contacted if a screening is available and the company needs someone in your age group. Pre-screenings are often overbooked to make sure the theater is packed, so you have to get there early and wait in line for awhile. It's really not an idea, situation, but if you want to see a movie before it's released and pay nothing at all, these programs give you the option.

One of the most popular advanced screening programs is The Screening Exchange. It's based in Los Angeles but they operate nationally. You just sign up on their web site and you'll receive emails when screenings are available. If you want to find other companies, just do a web search for "advanced movie screenings" and the name of your city (or nearest big city). This will turn up additional results.

Use Social Media

Social media can be a huge help when you're looking for advanced screenings. A web search for "advanced movie screenings twitter" or "advanced movie screenings facebook" plus the name of your city (or nearest big city) will provide you with accounts and pages that post about the latest options. For example, @MassScreenings came up right away when I did a Twitter search for Boston. There was even a MeetUp group. You may not always find options, but if there are a fair amount of screenings in your area there's probably someone who's tracking them on social media.

Check Screening Schedules at Local Film Schools

Many film schools bring in special guests on a regular basis to show their films. Sometimes these films are several years old but sometimes they've yet to be released. Check the film schools in your area to find out if they have screenings. If they do, you can usually find a schedule online or call to get one. In the event that the school is screening the movie you want to see, you have a couple of options. First, if security is lax you can probably just sneak in. Alternatively, you can bribe a student to help you get in. If you'd prefer a safer route, set some time aside to take a tour of the film school. When the tour is over, talk to someone in admissions about attending some classes, such as the particular screening you want to see. Most of the time they'll agree.

Check Screening Schedules at Film Societies

Film societies can be a great resource for advanced screenings and they are everywhere, from San Francisco, CA to Sarasota, FL to Austin, TX to the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Find a film society in your area and check their screening schedule. Most of the time you'll find advanced screenings of mostly dramas and independent films, so film societies are a good place to look if you're not in the market for a blockbuster Hollywood movie.

See If the Film Is Playing at an Upcoming Film Festival

Film festivals are generally seen as a platform for independent films, but there are plenty of bigger movies that screen as well. Often times they are part of gala events and require expensive passes, but you can sometimes circumvent this problem by waiting in a line. The rules will depend on the festival, but if one is underway when you want to see an advanced screening you should definitely check its schedule to see if the option is available. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Get on Movie Theater Mailing Lists

Although movie theaters generally won't screen films too far in advance, occasionally they'll offer tickets a few days ahead of release if you're a member of their mailing list. It may be yet another email in your inbox, but it doesn't take long to scan for advanced screening options and hit delete if you don't find anything appealing.

While none of these options can promise you an advanced seat at the theater, they're a good start. It can be fun to see a movie before it's out, but ultimately it's just a film. If you have to wait a little longer than everyone else, the movie will still be there when you get back and you'll be all the more excited to see it. Give this stuff a shot, but don't be too disappointed if you have to wait.